Jaxon Smith-Njigba Wins Offensive Player of the Year, But NFL Honors Moment Sparks Backlash
As the Seattle Seahawks gear up for their Super Bowl 60 showdown with the New England Patriots, they’ve already notched a major victory off the field. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba capped off a breakout season by taking home the Offensive Player of the Year award-an honor that reflects just how dominant he was in 2025.
Smith-Njigba’s numbers speak for themselves: 119 receptions, 1,793 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. Those are elite-level stats in any era, and they underscore just how central he was to Seattle’s offensive success this season.
Whether it was stretching the field, creating separation in tight coverage, or turning short gains into explosive plays, JSN was the engine that kept the Seahawks’ passing game humming. This is his first time winning the award, and there’s no question it’s well-earned.
But while the award was a celebration of Smith-Njigba’s excellence, the moment was marred by controversy during the NFL Honors ceremony.
Comedian and presenter Druski mispronounced Smith-Njigba’s name on stage-and not just once. Multiple attempts were made, and the delivery crossed a line for many watching, with some interpretations calling the moment not only careless but offensive. The slip-up didn’t go unnoticed, and the Seahawks organization made their displeasure public.
In a post from the Seahawks PR account on X (formerly Twitter), the team didn’t mince words:
“Hall of Famer Barry Sanders drew the short straw getting stuck with @druski’s big whiff tonight,” the post read. “Put some respect on @Seahawks WR @jaxon_smith1’s name.”
That message wasn’t just a light jab-it was a clear and direct response from within the organization, and it carried weight. While it didn’t come from the team’s main account, it still reflected the sentiment inside the building. This wasn’t just about a botched name-it was about respect, and the Seahawks made it clear they felt their star receiver didn’t get the level he deserved on one of the biggest nights of his career.
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu echoed that frustration, posting simply: “Druski lame.” Short, direct, and pointed-players clearly weren’t brushing this off.
The backlash extended beyond the team. Brett Kollmann of The Bootleg Football Podcast summed up what many fans and observers were thinking:
“Not really down for an award presenter intentionally mispronouncing a winner’s name as a joke just so they can make that person’s biggest individual achievement of their life all about them.”
Whether the mispronunciation was intentional or not is up for debate, but the optics weren’t great. Druski had time to learn how to pronounce the names of the award nominees-especially someone as prominent as Smith-Njigba, who was a clear contender. Instead, the moment became less about JSN’s incredible season and more about an avoidable distraction.
For Smith-Njigba, this season has been a statement. He’s emerged not just as one of the best young receivers in the league, but as a foundational piece of Seattle’s offense.
His crisp route-running, reliable hands, and explosive after-the-catch ability have made him a nightmare for defenses and a dream for quarterbacks. This award was a reflection of that-and it should have been a moment to celebrate his rise without controversy.
As the Seahawks look ahead to the biggest game of the year, they’ll do so with a chip on their shoulder-not just because of the opponent, but because they feel their guy didn’t get the respect he earned. And if there’s one thing we know about this Seattle team, it’s that they don’t forget slights easily.
Smith-Njigba has already proven he can let his game do the talking. Now, with a Super Bowl on the line, he’ll have a chance to make an even louder statement-this time, on the biggest stage in football.